South Korea’s Interim Leader Impeached After President’s Removal – One America News Network
OAN Staff James Meyers
8:16 AM – Friday, December 27, 2024
South Korea has officially impeached acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo just under two weeks after the ousting of the previous leader.
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This impeachment follows the controversial martial law declaration by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, which resulted in his impeachment on December 14th.
Han’s impeachment marks a historic first, being the first time an interim leader has faced impeachment in South Korea. He served only 13 days in office, setting a new record for the shortest tenure for a South Korean leader, a title previously held by his predecessor.
The vote to impeach Han concluded with lawmakers supporting the motion 192-108, surpassing the 151 votes required for impeachment.
“To avoid further confusion and uncertainty, I will suspend my duties per relevant laws and await the swift and judicious decision of the Constitutional Court,” Han expressed in a statement.
In the meantime, Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok has assumed the role of acting president.
“The priority at this moment is to reduce confusion in government operations,” he stated after taking on the interim presidential duties. “The administration will strive to stabilize the situation.”
Lawmakers justified the recent impeachment, arguing that Han declined a request to appoint three judges to fill vacancies in the Constitutional Court, who are crucial to determining whether Yoon should be removed from office.
Han mentioned that he was waiting for an agreement among his People Power Party, the Democratic Party, and other smaller factions regarding the authority of an acting president to make such appointments.
An acting president should “abstain from exercising significant presidential powers, including the appointment of constitutional entities,” he remarked.
Furthermore, Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae criticized Han’s remarks, claiming they did not reflect an acting president but rather suggested an admission of insurrection. His party has accused Han of supporting Yoon’s earlier martial law declaration.
The conflicting main parties debated whether a simple majority or a two-thirds majority was necessary for Han’s removal. The majority party contended a two-thirds vote is essential since the prime minister acts as the president, while the opposition argued for a straightforward majority rule.
Although the opposition likely possesses enough votes for a majority, they do not have the necessary support for a two-thirds majority.
On December 4th, Yoon announced martial law for the first time since 1980, and for the first time since South Korea transitioned to democracy. He asserted that pro-North Korean factions were taking over parliament alongside other “anti-state” elements.
In response, opposition lawmakers quickly congregated at the National Assembly, scrambling over barricades to keep soldiers from entering. Before the military could secure the chamber, parliament unanimously voted to reject the martial law declaration, leading to its termination just six hours later.
This political turbulence has adversely affected South Korea’s international reputation and strained its alliance with the United States.
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